Doctors in Pakistan are battling to save the life of a newborn baby born with six legs.
The one-week-old baby boy was born with a rare genetic condition and is believed to be one of parasitic twins.
Jamal Raza, director of the National Institute of Child Health in Karachi, was quoted as saying: “It is not one baby actually. They are two, one of them is premature.”
The extra limbs are thought to belong to the premature conjoined twin.
The rare condition is thought to affect only one in one million babies.
Speaking to reporters, the baby’s father Imran Shaikh, who lives around 280 miles north of Karachi, thanked officials for treating his son.
The X-ray technician said: “We are a poor family. I am thankful to the government for helping us treating my baby.”
A statement from the provincial health department said: “The doctors are examining the infant to plan for necessary treatment to save the baby’s life and ensure he lives a normal life.”
A doctor at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad reportedly said he was certain the baby could be operated on successfully.
Muhammad Qaisar told allvoices.com: “The case will also be a test for doctors and we hope for the better.”
In 2005, Indian girl Lakshmi Tatma was born with four arms and four legs.
She underwent a successful operation to remove her extra limbs when she was two years old.
